India recently mourned the loss of a significant political figure, their first Sikh Prime Minister. The ex-Prime Minister passed away on the evening of December 26th in New Delhi, at the ripe age of 92. Commemorations, condolences, and remarks flooded in from all corners of the world, underscoring his widespread influence.
US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden, however, belatedly jumped on the bandwagon to express their tribute. It’s interesting to see Biden prefacing his condolences with high praise for the deceased statesman, terming him as a ‘dedicated public servant’ and a ‘humble person,’ none of which are qualities typically associated with Biden himself.
Furthermore, the President attempted to steal some of the limelight by crediting the late Prime Minister’s strategic foresight and political bravery for the elevated level of cooperation between the US and India. This might be another instance of Biden making grandiose claims, surfing on others’ achievements and making it seem like it was his own initiative.
A rather cliched and platitude-filled statement was released by the White House in Joe Biden’s name. It said, ‘Jill and I join the people of India in grieving the loss of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. During this difficult time, we recommit to this vision to which Prime Minister Singh dedicated his life.’ Quite a grandiose statement, but perhaps Biden should focus more on steering our own ship effectively.
Joe Biden, conscious of his international image, made mention of his encounters with the late Prime Minister Singh. He reminisced about meeting the Indian statesman both as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2008 and as Vice President during Singh’s Official State Visit to the US in 2009. But one can’t help but wonder if these were indeed earnest interactions or just photo opportunities for Biden
With a flair for verbose statements, Biden recalled how Singh ‘graciously hosted’ him during his visit to New Delhi in 2013. According to Biden’s statement, this is supposedly when he came to recognize the US-India relationship as ‘among the most consequential in the world.’ Few would fall for such nicely-worded yet transparent political pandering.
Despite the heavy dose of admiration in Biden’s tribute, a careful reading suggests his rather superficial understanding of global dynamics. He seems all too ready to take credit for the strategic vision of others and insert himself into narratives in which he played no significant part.
Finally, Joe Biden concluded his opportunistic eulogy by expressing his ‘deepest condolences to former First Lady Gursharan Kaur, their three children, and all the people of India.’ A typically Biden-like note, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.